The present invention relates to rotatable mechanical elements and more particularly to a method and device for aligning securing and a mechanical element on a shaft.
The present invention finds particular use in mechanical face seals which include engaged rotatable and non-rotatable seal components. In these seals, it is important that the rotatable seal component which is fixed to a rotatable shaft has its sealing face disposed perpendicular to the shaft axis or centerline to insure proper sealing engagement with the non-rotatable seal component.
Mechanical face seals of the type referred to above are used to provide a seal between a rotatable shaft and an opening in a pressurized container through which the shaft extends. These seals include a stationary seal component fixed to the container and a rotatable seal component fixed to the shaft. The seal components are provided with confronting annular faces which surround the shaft and which are biased into rubbing engagement to effect the seal.
It will be appreciated that it is important that the rubbing seal face on the rotatable seal component be perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the shaft in order to effect proper sealing engagement with the non-rotatable component. This normally requires that the shaft and the rotatable seal component be machined to extremely close tolerances, and that there be a relatively long pilot length of engagement between these elements. This adds significantly to the cost of these elements and often still produces unsatisfactory results.